The picture on this page illustrates the process of scanning patterns from
photos showing the dorsal surface of the head of an adder. By fitting a 3D
surface model to the image the program captures a pattern that is unaffected
by the camera angle. The program then compares the new pattern with previous
patterns stored in a library and displays the most likely matches.
The final match decision is left to the user. The resulting database of match
results can be used to provide the usual benefits of mark/recapture studies
such as the monitoring of population size and other parameters.

Workinggroup Adderresearch Netherlands

To try out the software first unzip the following "adders_folders.zip"
file to your harddrive, where it will make a "c:\adders\" folder with a number
of subfolders containing sample images and pattern extracts (remember to
click the "use folder names" option). The "c:\adders\" folder will
also contain an Access database called "adders.mdb" and a "Usage.doc" document
explaining the process of entering new images, extracting patterns from those
images and comparing the patterns to the library in order to search for earlier
images of the same animal. If you change the name of the folder change the
name of the database file to match.

Then open the "ExtractCompare_install.zip" file and double-click the "setup.exe"
program. Please answer "yes" to retain any files that would otherwise
be overwritten by older files.

When installation is complete click on "adders.mdb" in Windows Explorer or
make a shortcut to the database file. Then please follow the steps
in the "Getting started" section of the "Usage.doc" document to see how the
sytem is run to search a catalogue for matches to a new photograph and to
test its performance. Please do not add, delete or rename any
files or folders in the "c:\adders\" folder except for those in the
"c:\adders\download_photos\" folder, which is used to hold new photographs
that are to be added to the system.